Panel attaching clamp for beds, floor lamps, and the like



Jan. 12, 1937. f c. l. GLUCKMAN 2,067,487

P ANEL ATTACHING CLAMP FOR BEDS, FLOOR LAMPS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 15, 1936 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFTCE PANEL ATTACHING CLAMP FOR BEDS, FLOOR LAMPS, AND THE LIKE Claims.

One object of this invention is the provision of an attachment adapted to be quickly secured to, or detached from, such articles of furniture as floor lamps, beds, and so forth, by means of which a panel useful as a table or as a support for reading magazines, newspapers, books, and the like, may be conveniently supported close to the user or reader.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such an attachment with means for eX- tending or retracting the same and for moving the supported panel toward or away from the user. v

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of clamp by means of which the device is firmly secured to a support.

Other'features and objects will be set forth and become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to likenamed parts in the accompanying drawing.

Referring briefiy to the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view showing the .,device secured to a floor lamp.

x() merals Figure 2 is a plan View of Figure l, with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken the line 'lof Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the device clamped to a bed frame or other similar upright panel.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the nu- Hl and li indicate the two Channelshaped jaws of the clamp i2. Each of these jaws is provided with a pair of hinge ears or extensions I3 having a bearing opening therethrough through which a vertical pin I4 passes to pivotally unite the two jaws. The extensions I3 are formed as integral projections from the side walls of the channels. A rod l5 is rigid on the upper end of the pin I4 and is rotatable with the pin.

On the open end of the clamp l2 a number of spaced-apart ears I6 are provided in pairs on opposite sides of each jaw lll and ll. Each of these ears I6 is provided with a hole in which the ends of small shafts or pins II are rotatably mounted. Rigidly mounted on the ends of each shaft I7 are tongues I8 which are formed integrally with and project at right angles from the ends of flat shoes I9. The outer surface of each of the shoes I9 is covered with a soft pad of felt or rubber 29. These shoes I9 are arranged in oppositely disposed pairs on the jaws I9 and Il. Intermediate the length of the jaw ll, the end of a screw 2| is pivotally mounted at 22. This screw passes through a slightly elongated opening in the jaw I6, which opening 10 is surrounded by a boss 23, and a knurled or wing nut 2Q on the screw 2l serves to tighten or loosen the clamp. It is obvious that, upon clamping the jaws lll and Il against a support, the pressure of the peripheries of the bearing openings of the ears I3 against the pin is will be increased so that the pin and hence the rod i5 will be held rmly in any radial position. The shafts Il which pass through that set of the ears I6 which is-neXt to the outerstantial distance, as indicated at lla. These extension shafts Ila have each a soft roller of rubber or the like thereon. In securing the clamp to a floor lamp post 26 as illustrated in Figure l, the post is clamped between four shoes i9, two on each jaw. Since these shoes are pivotally mounted, they will assume the position at which they exert the tightest and most stable pressure against the post. At the same time the rollers 25 will be urged against the post as illustrated, and will serve to prevent downward tilting of the clamp.

When the clamp is applied to a substantiahy flat-surfaced object as a bed frame, as indicated in Figure 8, the shoes I9 will all assume a position in which their flat surfaces lie flush against the surfaces of the bed frame 2l. In the case of such a Hat-surfaced object, it is not necessary to use the extension rollers ila, as the surface grip of the shoes I9 against the bed frame should be sufficiently strong4 to prevent downward tilting of the clamp.

The rod l5 has rotatably mounted on its other end, a yoke 28 in the forked end of which a bracket arm 29 is rotatably secured by means of a wing nut 3D. Intermediate the height of the yoke 28 one arm thereof is provided with a rounded opening in which a barrel 3| is rigidly mounted. A stem 32 is slidably mounted in the 50 barrel 3| and is provided with a spring 33 which normally urges the stem 32 toward the arm 29. The latter is provided with a number of concentrically arranged holes 34 into any one of which the stem 32 is adapted to register selectively. The holes 34 are so arranged that the panel supported in the device may be held either horizontally or at one of several differently inclined positions.

The two divergent arms 35 of the panel-supporting bracket extend integrally from the arm 29, and each of the arms 35 is provided with a hooked end 35. One or both of the arms 35 are made extensible by providing them in two sections slidably interlocked by means of a thumb screw and slot arrangement, indicated at 40. `A panel 37 is provided with a raised edge 33, and the opposite sides of the panel are slotted, as at 39. When the panel is mounted on the arms 35, the hooks 36 register in the slots 39 to maintain the panel securely in stable position. When the panel is to be used as a lectern, the raised edge 38 is on the upper surface. To use the panel as a table, it is removed and replaced in inverted position.

From the above it is apparent that the entire device may be readily and quickly attached to or 'detached from any support without marring the surface of the support, and that the panel supported in the device may be used as above mentioned and may be readily swung into or out of position most convenient to the user.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a device adapted to support a panel or the like at a distance from an upright support, a clamp on said device having a pair of jaws hingedly connected together, a plurality of oppositely disposed substantially flat-surfaced shoes pivotally mounted in said jaws, means for releasably urging said jaws together to lock said clamp on said support, said shoes being adapted to swing about their pivots and upon clamping said jaws `against said support being automatically rotated to present their ilat surfaces against the surfaces of said support.

2. In a device adapted to support a panel or the like at a distance from an upright support, a clamp on said device having a pair of jaws hingedly connected together, a plurality of oppositely disposed substantially fiat-surfaced shoes pivotally mounted in said jaws, means for releasably urging said jaws together to lock said clamp on said support, shafts in said jaws supporting said shoes, one pair of said shafts extending beyond the conne of said jaws and having rollers on their extended ends, said extended ends serving to rest against said support below said clamp to prevent downward swinging of said device owing to the weight thereof.

3. In a device adapted to support a panel or the like at a distance from an upright support, a clamp on said device comprising a pair of channel-shaped jaws having each a pair of extensions on one end, said extensions having openings therein, a pin of smaller diameter than said openings passing through said openings, a plurality of ears arranged in oppositely-disposed pairs on either side of said jaws and integral therewith, shafts rotatably mounted in each of said pairs of ears, oppositely-disposed substantially flat-surfaced shoes rigidly mounted on said shafts, means for releasably urging said jaws together to lock said clamp on said support, said shoes upon clamping said jaws against said support being'automatically rotated to present their at surfaces against the surfaces of said support, said jaw extensions upon clamping said jaws against said support tightening the peripheries of said openings about said pin.

4.' In a device adapted to support a panel or the like at a distance from an upright support, a clamp on said device comprising a pair of channel-shaped jaws hingedly connected together, a plurality ofears arranged in oppositelydisposed pairs on either side of each of said jaws and integral therewith, shafts rotatably mounted in each of said pairs of ears, each of said shafts having a fiat-surfaced shoe rigid thereon with the at surface of the shoes on one jaw facing substantially toward the opposite jaw, means for releasably urging said jaws together to lock said clamp on said support, said shoes upon clamping said jaws against said support being automatically rotated to present their flat surfaces against the surfaces of said support.

5. 1n a device adapted to support a panel or the like at a distance from an upright support, a clamp on said device having a pair of jaws hingedly connected together, a plurality of oppositely disposed substantially flat-surfaced shoes pivotally mounted in said jaws, means for releas ably urging said jaws together to lock said clamp on said support, shafts in said jaws supporting said shoes, one pair of said shafts extending beyond the confines of said jaws, having rollers on their extended ends, said extended ends serving to rest against said support below said clamp to prevent downward swinging of said device owing to the weight thereof, one of said shafts in one of said jaws and another of said shafts ,t

in the other jaw each extending beyond one side of its jaw in the same direction to provide a pair of extension shafts, said extension shafts each having a roller thereon and serving to rest against said support below said clamp to prevent downward swinging of said device owing to the weight of said panel.

CHARLES I. GLUCKMAN. 

